Caught in the spirit
by Ivory.Tanguay
Summary: A year after Azula and fire lord Ozai won the war, sokka is left with nothing; his friends could be dead for all he knows, the only one he can keep tabs on is his jailor- Prince Zuko. After betraying the whole gaang how can sokka trust him to save them all? Rated strongly for language, but i may raise the rating later. SPOILER:this is mainly a Zukka Fic, with some cool new bending.


**Quick Authors Note:**

**Special thanks to my friend Sokka, who is the CoAuthor of this fic. Without her this story wouldn't be nearly awesome. (and if you are wondering, yes she calls me Zuko)**

**ALSO: **_**BIIIIIGGGGGG thanks to Hot-Choc for the wonderful zukka cover art. Check out their deviant art page, they're great!**_

Sokka looked to Zuko, confusion lining his face. "I've lost everything. Suki, Aang, Katara... What could you possibly want?" He yelled, straining against the chains keeping his arms over his head. "You've left me here Zuko, tied up. Alone... you broke me. What the hell more do you want?" He ended in barely a whisper.

Agni. D_amn fate, damn Azula, damn it all. _I felt my hand move of its own accord, slapping the prisoner- Sokka, my old friend- across the face. I could feel my glassy eyes slide over his broken figure as words came unbidden from my lips. "Whatever I want I will take, whatever I ask for you will give. And when I ask you will comply, as you always do. Understood?"

_Damn Azula, Agni Damn her to Hades. _

"We trusted you." Sokka says bitterly, steeling himself to fight my demands.

"Yes, that made it all the sweeter didn't it? After all I did, you forgave me. Katara saw the good in me. Aang trusted me. Toph called me _brother. _I handed Katara to Azula and Aang to my father. I killed Suki myself. Then there's you, Boomerang Guy."

"Insignificant. Not even a bender. So why do you care about me? Why is it me you keep the longest?"

If only I knew. Why did Azula keep him? Surely she couldn't know? "Because you are the most fun, of course." Spewed unbidden from my lips. Azula why him? I looked into the face of the prisoner-my old friend- one last time before walking out the door.

"You didn't win! Aang is dead! Where's your precious avatar now, bastard son of Ozi!"

"As eloquent as usual, I see." Speak of the devil. "Though he is accurate, don't you agree dear brother?" Azula continued.

"Indeed, dearest sister." _As soon as I find a way out of this, you die. I may be trapped in my body, but my mind is still my own. At least for now._

"Good boy. Now wait in your room for further orders."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sokka listens, confused, _since when does sparky take insults? And from me and crazy of all people?_

The next morning came as does every morning. The sun shines through the window, waking my immobile body and drawing me from my most recent nightmare. My dreams used to be an escape from reality, now if it weren't for the Dai Lee I would wake screaming. They are who did all this.

Back in the upside-down air temple, I knew the fight with Azula was too easy, too clean cut. But I couldn't figure out why until it was too late. A paste, thick like honey, on Azula's gloves coated me wherever she struck, leaving tingles on my skin. After the battle I collapsed in my friends arms and woke in Azula's clutches. It had been a toxin made from Shirshu venom and a sleeping draught. Just strong enough to knock me out till the Dai Lee took control. I couldn't speak, couldn't control my own body, I could do nothing but watch the downfall of everything I ever cared about. Aang is imprisoned in the dungeons, barely alive. Azula says he doesn't even respond anymore, I haven't seen him since I "willingly" presented him to my father and arranged his public execution- staged of course "we couldn't waste time looking for his reincarnation". Katara was sold to a young fire noble's son as a slave, Suki and Mai... didn't make it. They were often in my nightmares. Then there was Sokka.

Beaten, bruised, Sokka hung from the ceiling, feet barely touching the floor, as he has since the beginning of this. _He's gotten too thin_,_ the only meals he gets are those I bring him and he refuses to eat all too often. He's getting weaker, giving up..._ I think as gaunt cheeks and hollow eyes float through my mind,the burns across his back and chest bight on his tanned skin. Memories of my hands gently putting them there accompanied by the small whimpers he let out -the only sound he made- echoed in my mind.

At first I thought Azula tortured him for information, but the war ended a year ago- most submitted to the Phoenix King with barely a fight, the rest were destroyed in the inferno of Sozin's Comet. Everyone gave up after Aang was captured; it was simply a matter of time. The water tribes fell first, then the rebel cities, and then the entire earth kingdom after Ba Sing Se was taken over from the inside out. But Sokka, he kept fighting. He fought harder than anyone had dared, escaping twice with his hair-brained plans... only to be caught again and tortured. And yet still he fought. Though he thinks he's been broken, I can still see the spark inside him that keeps him fighting.

_In vain, _a voice-sounding an awful lot like Azula- whispered in my mind. _He fights, but what good does it do? Its earned him those scars hasn't it? _No, it's not in vain he's still alive isn't he? _For now..._

A gruff voice knocked me out of my thoughts, "Eat" the Dai Lee agent ordered before rushing out once again. _He seems to be in a hurry, I wonder what for. Normally they'd come to "treat" me by now- if "treat" is what you would call stripping someone of their free will. They didn't need to do it every day_ I pondered as I ate my morning meal;_ it usually lasts a few days before the effects start to weaken_. Glancing out the window I saw more guards rushing down the golden steps out the gates. _Probably another rebel outburst,_ _those have been happening more and more often. Been taking longer to take care of too. Now that I think about it I missed the last few sessions as well _I idly reflected, and as a Hair-Brained idea popped into my head I could practically hear Sokka yelling at me to do it. _I can't, _I thought, and surprised myself by clenching my fist, _would your friends let that stop them? Mai fought to her last breath, Princess Yue fought even longer. _As Sokka's planning voice in my head grew louder I found I could do more than clench my fist- I could stand, and with effort I could walk. I can't run but it's a start. Picking up my food I said to myself _this just might work, _and slowly left the room.


End file.
